Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation Ordinance, 2002

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN CORPORATION 
ORDINANCE, 2002  
 
              
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
1.  Short title and commencement 
2.  Definitions 
3.  Establishment of the Corporation 
4.  Headquarters of the Corporation 
5.  Functions of the Corporation 
6.  Management of the Corporation 
7.  Constitution of the Board 
8.  Terms of office of the Chairman and members 
9. Meeting of the Board 
10.  Managing Director 
11. Recruitment of officers etc. 
12.  Members, officers etc. to be public servants  
13.  Transfer of officers, servants etc., to the Corporation 
14.  Budget 
15.  Maintenance of Accounts 
16.  Audit 
17.  Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation Fund 
18.  Delegation of powers 
19.  Indemnity 

 
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20.  Winding up of the Corporation 
21.  Power to make rules 
22.  Power to make regulations 
23.  Repeal and savings 
24.  Removal of difficulties 
 
 
 
  
 
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OF PAKISTAN CORPORATION 
ORDINANCE, 2002  
ORDINANCE No. LXXX OF 2002 
 
                      [19th October, 2002] 
AN 
ORDINANCE 
 
 to provide for reconstitution of the Associated Press of Pakistan 
 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to ensure effective operation and to streamline , improve, and 
enlarge Associated Press of Pakistan as a public information medium; 
 
 AND WHEREAS  it is expedient to take steps for adding greater professionalism to the 
Associated Press of Pakist an and make its management more broad based allowing its 
professionalism independence autonomy with a view to enabling it to obtain from international news 
agencies services and create greater trust of its secrecy and credibility amongst people, and for 
matters connected thereto or incidental thereof; 
 
 AND WHEREAS the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to 
take immediate action; 
 
 NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Pr oclamation of Emergency of the f ourteenth day of 
October, 1999, the Provisional Constitution Order No. 1 of 1999, read with the Provisional 
Constitution (Amendment) Order No. 9 of 1999, and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that 
behalf the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is pleased to make and promulgate the  
following Ordinance:― 
 
 1. Short title and commencement. ___(1) This Ordinance may be called the Associated Press 
of Pakistan Corporation Ordinance, 2002. 
 
 (2) It shall come into force at once. 
 
 2. Definitions.― In this Ordinance, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context,― 
 
(a) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation; 
 
(b) “Bureau” means any news receiving or transmitting unit so designated by the 
corporation; 
 
(c) “Chairman” means the Chairman of the Board; 
 
(d) “Corporation” means the Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation established 
under section 3; 
 
 
 
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1[(da) “division concerned” means the M inistry or, as the case may be, the division 
to which business of the corporation stands allocated;]  
 
 (e) 1[* * * * * * *] 
 
 (f) “Managing Director” means the Managing Director of the Corporation; 
 
(g) “member” means member of the Board; 
 
1[(ga) “Minister” means Ministry-in-Charge of the division concerned;]  
 
(h) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules or regulations made under this 
Ordinance; 
 
(i) “regulations” means regulations made under this Ordinance; 
 
(j) “rules” means rules made under this Ordinance; and 
 
(k) “subscriber” means a person or body whether private or public receiving 
services from the Corporation; 
 
 3. Establishment of the Corporation.___ The Associated Press of Pakistan as reconstituted in 
accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance shall be a corporation to be called the Associated 
Press of Pakistan Corporation which shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a 
common seal with powers to acquire, hold and dispose of property both movable and immovable and 
shall by the said name sue and be sued. 
 
 4. H eadquarters of the Corporation. ___ The headquarters of the corporation shall be at 
Islamabad and the corporation may establish its Bureaus or constitute its Stations at such places, both 
within and abroad as the Board may, with the approval of the Federal Government, decide. 
 
 5. Functions of the Corporation.___ The functions of the Corporation shall be to― 
 
(a) undertake the work of a news agency or news agencies in any part of the 
world and in particular to collect, transmit, circulate in Pakistan and abroad 
such news, features, photographs, videos or any such material, for distribution 
to such person or corporations, newspapers or organizations desirous of 
obtaining suc h news and material or any part thereof on such terms and 
conditions as the Board may, from time to time determine; 
 
(b) carry on all  or any of the activities which help in news gathering and its 
dissemination through print, cyber­net, audio, video, still and any other 
methods of photography required for this purpose; 
 
 
 
 
 
1Ins. and omitted by Act No. XXV of 2026, s.2. 
 
 
 
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(c) enter into any arrangements and to take all necessary or proper step s with 
governments or with other authorities, persons, bodies, of organizations, 
international, national, local, municipal or otherwise of any place in which the 
Corporation may have interests and to carry on any negotiations or operations 
for the purpose of directly or indirectly carrying out its objects affe cting any 
modification in its functioning; 
 
(d) advance, deposit or le nd money, acquire securities and property or receive 
loans, grants-in­aid, subsidy, subscription fee, assistance or deposits from the 
Government and other authorities or bodies or organizations; 
 
(e) invest any moneys of the C orporation not for the time being required for any 
of the purposes of the Corporation in such investments (other than shares or 
stock) as may be in the interest of the Corporation; 
(f) establish, provide, maintain and conduct research and training activities for the 
training, education and instruction of employees, students and others who may 
desire to avail themselves of the same; 
 
(g) compile, prepare, produce, print, publish, issue, circulate and distribute, with 
or without charge such papers, magazines, periodicals, books, circulars and 
other such m atter as may be conducive to an y of the functions of the 
Corporation; 
 
(h) carry out instructions of the 1[division concerned]  with regard to general 
pattern of policies in respect of announcements, news and views to be 
disseminated from time to time; 
 
(i) sign agreements with international news agencies, national news agencies of 
other countries for securing and disseminating th e same to end­users in and 
outside Pakistan; and 
 
(j) sell news, features, photos, audios and videos to mass media, news agencies 
and any other organization within and outside Pakistan. 
 
 6. Management of the Corporation .___(1) The g eneral directions and administration of the 
affairs of the corporation shall vest in the Board which may exercise all powers and do all acts and 
things which may be exercised or done by the Corporation. 
 
 (2) In discharge of its functions the Corporation shall be bound by such directives and order, 
if any, as may be given to it on any question of policy by the Federal Government which shall be the 
sole Judge as to whether a question is a question of policy. 
 
  
 
 
1Subs. by Act No. XXV of 2026, s.3. 
 
 
 
 
 
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7. Constitution of the Board.___(1) The Board shall consist of eleven members including the 
Chairman, consisting of___ 
 
(a) Secretary, Ministry of Information              Chairman  
 and Media Development.                             
 
(b) Managing Director, Associated    Member  
 Press of Pakistan Corporation     ex­officio 
 
(c) Managing Director,       Member 
 P.T. V. Corporation      ex­officio 
 
(d) Director General,           Member  
Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation       ex­officio    
      
(e) Principal Information Officer,    Member  
 Press Information Department,                                              ex­officio 
 Government of Pakistan. 
 
(f) the President, Council of Pakistan    Member  
 Newspaper’s Editors (CPNE).    ex­officio 
  
(g) the Financial Adviser, Ministry of    Member  
 Information and Media Development.   ex­officio 
 
(h) the Chairman, Department of Mass    Member  
 Communication, University of Punjab, Lahore.  ex­officio 
 
(i) the Chairman, Department of Mass Communication, Member  
 Karachi University, Karachi; and     ex­officio 
 
(j) two renowned media persons from private sector to be Members 
 nominated by the 1[Prime Minister]. 
 
 (2) A member, other than the Financial Adviser, shall be a person with adequate experience 
in the field of information and mass communication. 
 
 8. Terms of office of  the Chairman and members .___(1)Save as otherwise provided a 
member shall hold office during the pleasure of the President. 
 
 (2) An ex­officio member shall hold office as member till such time he holds the office by 
virtue of which he is a member and upon his transfer therefrom or retirement, resignation or removal 
from office, the person appointed in such member’s place shall be the member. 
 
 (3) The Chairman, and other ex­officio members shall  serve on the Board in honorary 
capacity but shall be entitled to travelling allowance and other such expenses when engaged on 
business of the Board as may be prescribed. 
 
  
1Subs. by Act No. XXV of 2026, s.4. 
 
 
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(4) The members from the private sector shall be entitled to such terms and condition as the 
1[as may be prescribed] may determine. 
 
 9. Meeting of the Board .___(1) The Board shall meet at such time and such place as the 
Chairman may decide: 
 
 Provided that not less than three meetings of the Board shall be held in a year including one 
mandatory meeting to be held in the month of December each year. 
 
 (2) To constitute a quorum at the meeting of the Board not less than six members incl uding 
the Chairman shall be present. 
 
 (3) The Chairman and in his absence, any member so authorized by him, shall preside at the 
meeting of the Board. 
 
 (4) All matters or agenda to be taken up at the meeting of the Board shall be decided by the 
Chairman subject to the condition that any matter not borne on the agenda of a meeting may be taken 
up if the majority of the members present in the meeting so decide. 
 
 (5) All questions at the meeting of the Board shall be decided by a  majority vote and in case 
of equality of votes the person presiding shall have a casting vote. 
 
 10. Managing Director.___ There shall be a Managing Director of the Corporation who shall 
be appointed by the 1[Prime Minister] on such terms and conditions as the 1[Prime Minister] may 
determine. 
 
 11. Recruitment of officers etc.___ (1) The Corporation may, from time to time, appoint such 
officers and servants as it may consider necessary for performance of its functions. 
 
 (2) The Corporation shall prescribe by regulations the procedure for appointment of its 
officers and employees and the terms and conditions of their service. 
 
 12. Members, officers etc. to be public servants.― The Chairman, Members, the Managing 
Director and other officers and servants of the Corporation shall, when acting or purporting to act in 
pursuance of any of the provisions of this Ordinance or the rules or regulations made thereunder, be 
deemed to be public servant within the meaning o f section 21 of the Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV 
of 1860). 
 
 13. Transfer of officers, servants etc., to the Corporation .___(1) Notwithstanding anything 
contained in any law, contract or agreement or in the conditions of service, every officer, servant or 
employee of the Associated Press of Pakistan existing immediately before the establishment of the 
Corporation shall, on such establishment , stand transferred to, and beco me an employee of the 
Corporation on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed by regulations: 
 
 Provided that the pay and allowances to which an officer and servant of the Corporation shall 
be entitled shall not be less favou rable than those to which he was entitled immediately before such 
transfer. 
 
  
 
1Subs. by Act No. XXV of 2026, ss. 5-6. 
 
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(2) No person who stands transferred to the Corporation by virtue of sub­section (1) shall, 
notwithstanding anything contained in any law, contract or agreement, be entitled to any 
compensation because of such transfer. 
 
 14. Budget.___ The Corporation shall, in respect of each financial year, submit for the 
approval of the Federal Government by such date and in such form as may be specified by the 
Federal Government a statement showing the estimated receipts for current and development 
expenditure and the sums which are likely to be required from the Federal Government during the 
next financial year. 
 
 15. Maintenance of Accounts. ___ The accounts of the Corporation shall be maintained in 
such form and manner as th e Federal Government may, in consultation with the Controller­General 
of Accounts, determined. 
  
 16. Audit.___(1) The accounts of the Corporation shall be audited by an Auditor appointed by 
the Corporation who is a Chartered Accountant within the meanings  of the Chartered Accountants 
Ordinance, 1961 (X of 1961) to be appointed by the Board with the prior approval of the Federal 
Government: 
 
 Provided that the Auditor­General of Pakistan shall have the power to audit or cause to be 
audited the accounts of the Corporation. 
 
 (2) Copies of the audit report shall be placed before the Board for approval and the report 
shall be made available for public inspection. 
 
 (3) Copies of the audit report, together with the report of the Board thereon shall be submitted 
to the Federal Government within six months of the close of every financial year by the Corporation. 
 
 17. Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation Fund. ___ (1) There shall be a fund to be 
known as the “Associated Press of Pakistan Corpo ration Fund” which shall vest in the Corporation 
and shall be utilized by the Corporation to meet charges in connection with its functions under this 
Ordinance including payment of salaries and other remuneration to the Managing Director, 
non­official Members, officers and employees of the Corporation. 
 
 (2) The Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation Fund shall consist of― 
 
(a) grants made by the Federal Government; 
 
(b) loans obtained from the banks and other financial institutions as may be 
approved by the Federal government; 
 
(c) subscription fee from the subscribers of the Associated Press of Pakistan; 
 
(d) sale proceeds, royalties of the newspapers items, features, ph otos, cyber nets, 
audios, videos etc.; 
 
(e) gifts, endowment, grants and other contributions from philanthropists, 
agencies, foundations or organizations; and 
 
 
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(f) other sums received from other sources approved by the Board. 
 
 18. Delegation of powers.___ The Board may, from time to time, by general or special order, 
delegate to the Managing Director or any other Member or an officer of the Corporation any of its 
powers, duties or functions under this Ordinance, subject to such conditions as it m ay think fit to 
impose. 
 
 19. Indemnity.___ No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie  against the Corporation, the 
Managing Director, or any Member, officer or employee of the Corporation in respect of any  thing 
done or intended to be done in good faith under this Ordinance. 
 
 20. Winding up of the Corporation. ___No provision of law relating to winding up of bodies 
corporate shall apply to the Corporation and the Corporation shall not be wound up except by the 
order of the Federal Government in such manner as the Federal Government may determine. 
 
 21. Power to make rules. ___ The Federal Government may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Ordinance. 
 
 22. Power to make regulations. ___ The Corporation may, by notification in the official 
Gazette, make regulation not inconsistent with this Ordinance and the rules made thereunder to 
provide for all matters for which provision is necessary or expedient for carrying out the purposes of 
this Ordinance. 
 
 23. Repeal and savings. ___(1) The Associated Press of Pakistan (Takin g over) Ordinance, 
1961 (XX of 1961) is hereby repealed. 
 
 (2) Upon the commencement of this Ordinance― 
 
(a) all funds, properties, rights and interests of whatsoever kind issued and used, 
enjoyed, possessed, owned or vested in the Associated Press of Pakistan in 
existence immediately before such commencement and all liabilities, legally 
subsisting against the said APP shall pass to the Corporation as established 
under this Ordinance; 
 
(b) everything done, action taken, obligation or liabilities incurred, rights and 
assets acquired, persons appointed, or authorised jurisdiction or power 
conferred, endowment, bequests, funds or trust created, donations or grants 
made or issued under any provision of t he repealed Ordinance, rule s or 
regulations, applicable to the said APP shall remain in force and be continued 
and, be deemed to have been respectively done, taken, incurred,  acquired, 
appointed, authorized, conferred, created, made, or issued under  this 
Ordinance and reference in  any document to any provision of the said 
Ordinance or rules or regulations made thereunder shall, so far as may be 
deemed to be reference to the corresponding provisions of this Ordinance or 
the rules or regulations made or deemed to have been made thereunder; 
 
(c) any rule or regulation made under the repealed Ordinance shall, in so far as 
they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance or the rules or 
regulations made thereunder having recourse to the various matters which by 
 
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this Ordinance have to be regulated or prescribe d by rules or regulations 
respectively shall continue to be in force until they are repealed, replaced, 
rescinded or modified in accordance with the provision s of this Ordinance; 
and 
 
(d) all contracts and working arrangements made and incurred by the APP before 
the establishment of the Corporation shall be deemed to have been made or 
incurred by the Corporation and have effect accordingly.   
 
 24. Removal of difficulties. ___ If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any provision of this 
Ordinance the Federal Government may mak e such order, not inconsistent with the express 
provisions of this Ordinance as may appear to it to be necessary for the pu rpose of removing the 
difficulty. 
 
_____________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RGN Dated: 02-04-2026